Not a Runner

It's true.  Sad, but true, I am not a runner.  Sure, I have run a ton of 5ks, 5 milers & even the Broad Street 10 in 2010, but it's probably one of the only sports I've tried (except basketball) that I just can't get any better at.  4 years, and lots of miles later, it's not working.  Now, I'm not feeling sorry for myself at all, because in these 4 long years I've really come a long way.  Swam across the San Francisco Bay, ran 10 miles in Philly, run the same steps as a firefighter on the way to the World Trade Center & even made it 63 miles into a half ironman.  But it's the running that always gets me in the end.  And let me preface all this by saying, it's not from lack of trying, but more of a pieced back together ankle which was once broken in 6 lovely places.

The other morning as I made my way down to the running trail to meet my long time trainer & friend Suzanne I was so grumpy.  Why?  Well, it was 7 am & it was already 85 degrees & she was going to make me run.  Yes, make me.  Grudgingly,  I legged out the 6 miles, with minimal stopping (one water stop) & then rewarded myself with a half hour in the pool.  20 minutes into the swim I looked at my friend Suzanne & said, THIS.  IS.  BORING.   & you know what?  I looked around the pool, at everyone swimming laps & thought to myself, I have spent 34 years of my life in a pool, soaking wet, swimming laps.  That was the sport that I loved, not running & certainly not biking.  Biking, although a great way to get around, is not fun either.  I like that I can ride around & see the sights, but I'm not a racer girl.  I want to be the girl riding the pink beach cruiser in a sundress, while wearing flip flops.  That's the bike girl I am.

So, after a lot of thinking & a lot of gimping out runs, I think I may hang up this run, bike, swim stuff.  & I know I say that even after I have 6 other races planned this year, but I think it's time I put the bike in storage & pick up my old friend the tennis racket.  My first true love after swimming.  I would swim every year from Alcatraz if I could.  I used to want to swim the English Channel, until I found out that it was 22 miles & you needed to grease yourself up with lard (or lanolin - but still - nasty).  I think I will start small, with a swim around the Statue of Liberty & maybe a long term goal of being part of the Manhattan relay team.  Yes, relay.  Around the island.  Of Manhattan.  I know I can do it.

& I'm not saying I will never run again, but for now, I don't want to torture myself when I know that I'll never be able to run a 7, 8 or even a 9 minute mile.  But I know that I can swim & I know that I have a killer backhand.  So I think it's time to get back to what I know I am good at.  Not to say that you won't see me on Sunday mornings running the boards in Spring Lake, because that's my turf.  & nothing is better than salt air & the wind at your back.